Parallax measurements by the Gaia space observatory put the star at a distance of about 440 light-years (130 parsecs) from Earth.

[2] Unusual light fluctuations of the star, including up to an 80% dimming in brightness (i.e., "single 80% deep occultation of 1-day duration"), were observed by astronomers.

[3][5] The unusual dimming was not only extremely deep, but also substantially asymmetric, with an egress about twice as long as the ingress.

[6][7] Several explanations have been presented to explain the unusual dimming of the EPIC 204376071 star: one, orbiting dust or small particles; or two, a "transient accretion event of dusty material near the corotation radius of the star".

In the case of EPIC 204376071, an orbiting brown dwarf or large planet, with a ring system, could cause a similar light curve, according to the researchers.